My Riffs

The best gift we can give is our attention and presence. Sure, physical gifts can be great. I can appreciate them. But nothing can top the gift of someone's time and attention. 

To say somebody is driven is a compliment. But technically, I think they're pulled. They're being pulled by a vision, a goal or an ideal. Being driven comes from obeying orders. Being pulled comes from passion and outlasts being driven. If you can find something that compels and pulls you, you have found a source of purpose that being driven never could provide.

Knowing the time means you know when to plant, when to water, when to harvest and when to start over. Doing the right thing in the wrong season means the results won't be there. However, doing it in the right season can produce the best possible results. Be wise; do things in their season.

So, do we have the capacity to care for those in our circle?  If we’re constantly caught up in our own world and problems then we’re not likely able to.  Here’s the interesting thing, caring for those around us actually helps lift the burdens we’re carrying. Maybe it’s cause we’re no longer hyper focused on our problems. Whatever it is, it works.  Helping others, actually helps yourself. We must have been created for this :)

You can’t get better without getting uncomfortable.  Comfort is recovery and respite. Comfort isn’t the place to build, strengthen or grow.  Get uncomfortable. Embrace discomfort (with wisdom). 

We can choose to lift or to weigh down. There’s times we need help and to lean on someone, and that’s perfectly okay.  We get to choose though if we want to keep weighing people down or if we want to lift people up.  Weighing people down makes life heavier for both.  Lifting people up makes life easier for both.  Aiming to lift people up is a particularly noble aim.